Jackson and Delap training away from Chelsea first team
Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap are among a Chelsea group working apart from Xabi Alonso’s first-team squad, with the previous ‘bomb squad’ setup understood to have been dropped.
Chelsea forwards Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap were on Wednesday reported to be among a group training away from Xabi Alonso’s first-team squad. The claim originates with Matt Law, who adds that the previous so-called bomb squad policy at the club has been scrapped.
The reporting indicates that while Jackson and Delap are currently working separately, the arrangement is not the kind of exile associated with that old system. Instead, the suggestion is that the separation does not amount to a formal freezing-out of players from senior contention.
That distinction matters for immediate selection prospects. Training apart can be an organisational choice while a head coach shapes his core group, rather than a definitive judgment on individual futures. The report stops short of stating that the pair have been told they are surplus to requirements.
Alonso is overseeing his first months in charge and is in the process of defining his first-team unit. Within that context, the current setup points to a phased approach to squad management rather than a hard divide between involved and unwanted players. It leaves open the possibility that those training separately could be reintegrated if plans evolve.
Specific numbers in the separate group, the precise reasons for each player’s placement and how long the arrangement will last are not detailed in the report.